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PLANT
MOISTURE
SYSTEMS

Agriculture/Horticulture
Plant Growth Studies

e n v i r o n m e n t a l
Updated 10/10/07

a n d

b o t a n i c a l

i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n

Introduction
Skye have been manufacturing plant moisture systems since 1987.
For nearly 20 years these instruments have been used to study the
demand for water in plants by measuring the plant moisture potential
or stress.

The demand for water in the plant is a combination of many factors

including availability of water to the roots, environmental factors
(for example temperature, wind, humidity, solar radiation) and the
ability within the plant to move water.
The plant moisture potential measurement helps relate these factors
to the state of the plant. It can be used to study the water need of the
plant and the effects the local environmental conditions are having.
The plant moisture potential is measured using a Scholander type
pressure chamber, otherwise known as a Plant Moisture System.
These plant moisture systems have also been used for sap extraction
studies. Skye Instruments Ltd has 2 different types of systems for
this measurement and they are described below.
Analogue System
The low-cost analogue system, has a traditional dial gauge readout.
The water potential pressure of the plant sample is read off the large, clear
dial gauge when moisture is first seen coming from the freshly cut stem.
The gauge has a maximum pressure needle which can be used to 'freeze'
the reading, allowing the user to concentrate on the specimen and not on
the gauge.
Digital System
The Digital System uses an accurate pressure transducer to give a digital
readout via a clear display - in which the figures can be seen even in strong
light.
Chamber Head
In collaboration with users of Plant Moisture System, we have 2 designs of
head. The low pressure head has only one part and the seal is made by the
gas pressure inside the vessel pushing against the soft rubber seal. This
makes it very suitable for fleshy samples. The high pressure head, is
recommended for more woody samples. Here the stem of the plant tissue
is sealed in the neck of the vessel by a biconical compression seal.
Both heads are
designed with a short seal length to accommodate 'awkward'
samples with short petioles. Sealing pressure may be increased
at will, even when the vessel is pressurised, by turning the seal
clamp, should leakage occur.
The Skye system minimises damage to the stem by ensuring
only the minimum pressure is applied to the petiole.
Gas Supply
In a laboratory the gas for pressurisation would normally be
from large commercial cylinders of nitrogen. These would
normally be rented together with a reduction valve from the local
supplier. This is however not acceptable for portable use, and
thus we offer for sale, small very portable compressed air cylinders with reduction valves. These may be refilled at
thousands of centres worldwide, most commonly located in university towns and cities.

SPECIFICATIONS
Digital

Analogue

Size 152 x 317 x 254mm

Chamber dimensions
135 x 70mm diameter
0.54 litre Volume
System weight - 9kg
(Excludes gas bottle)
Operating Pressure
0-40 bar
0-50 bar

0-80 bar
Type of Chamber head suitable
Low Pressure
(max pressure 40bar)
High Pressure
Dial Pressure Gauge
(In units of Bar with max
pressure reached indicator)

SKPM
1405/40

SKPM
1405/50

SKPM
1405/80

LCD Readout
12.7mm height, 2 decade ranges
0.01 Bar / 1KPascal resolution

SKPM
1400/40

SKPM
1400/50

SKPM
1400/80

Supplied as complete systems with a range of sealing apertures

Accessories required : Gas Bottle and Regulator
SAFETY FEATURES

Skye's Plant Moisture System for the measurement of Plant Water Potential
has a number of safety features included.
! The main chamber is machined from a single piece of solid, high grade brass. There are no metal
joins and seams to fail under high pressures.

! The chamber head is secured using a quick fastening, multi start thread. This design ensures the
chamber cannot be pressurised unless the head is secure.

! Each Skye plant moisture system is individually tested to a pressure far greater than the working
pressure by an independent test house. A certificate of this test is supplied with every system.

! There is a safety release pressure valve fitted to each system, this is set to automatically evacuate
the chamber if the maximum working pressure is exceeded at any time.

! Included in the cost of a Skye system is a pair of safety spectacles and a clear perspex safety
shield. These ensure that no leaf or petiole debris can escape and be blown into the user's eyes.

PUBLICATIONS
R. Alonso, S. Elvira, V. Bermejo, B.S. Gimeno. Does drought stress protect Quercas ilex from ozone effects?
Different response of subsp. Ilex and subsp. Ballota. 2005. Workshop: Critical levels of ozone: further applying
and developing the flux-based concept Obergurgl, Austria, Nov 15-19 2005. www.unigraz.at/pphwww/mitarb/mike/obergurgl/abstracts/poster_1.pdf
Pflanzenphysiologische Ubungen. Humboldt University of Berlin, Institute of Biology, Plant Physiology. April
2005. www.biologie.hu-berlin.de/~plantphys/lehre/scripts/komplex2.pdf
A. Dattola, M.A. Lo Gullo, A. Motisi. Effetto del Portinnesto sull'Architettura Idraulica del nesto in Piante Adulte
della Nettarina 'Adriana'. 2003. IV Convegno Nazionale sulla Peschicoltura Meridionale.
www.unipa.it/medpeach/atti/IV_Convegno/poster/Dattola_et_al_2.pdf
A. R. Reddy, D. Sundar, A. Gnanam. Photosynthetic flexibility in Pedilanthus tithymaloides Poit, a CAM plant.
2003. Journal of Plant Physiology. 160, 75 - 80 (2003)
B. Osborne, K. Black, G. Lanigan, M. Perks, G. Clabby. Survival on the exposed Limestone pavement in the
Burren : photosynthesis and water relations of three co-occuring plant species. 2003. Biology and Environment :
proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. Vol 103B. No. 3, 125-137 (2003)

T HOUSANDS OF
CUSTOMERS IN OVER ONE
HUNDRED COUNTRIES
Skye is a family run company
and since 1983 has been exporting
instruments to nearly every
country in the world. We pride
ourselves on customer care and our
flexibility when it comes to
providing the customer with what
they need.

I. De Luis, J. J. Irigoyen, M. Snchez-Daz. Vapour pressure deficit reduces the beneficial effect of elevated CO2
on growth of N2 -fixing alfalfa plants. 2002. Physiologia Plantarum. Vol 116, Issue 4, pp 497-502 H. Bauer. 2000.
Http://info.uibk.ac.at/projects/embolie/linkuk.html
M.P. Perks, S. Monaghan, C. O'Reilly, B.A. Osborne, D.T. Mitchell. Chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics,
performance and survival of freshly lifted and cold stored Douglas fir seeds. 2001. Annals of Forest Science. Vol
58. (2001) 225-235
P. Giorio, G. Sorrentino, R. d'Andria. Stomatal behaviours, leaf water status and photosynthetic response in fieldgrown olive trees under water deficit. 1999. Environmental and Experimental Botany. Vol 42, Issue 2, 95-104.
G.E. Jackson, J. Irvine and J. Grace. Xylem Acoustic Emissions and Water Relations of Calluna Vulgaris L. at two
Climatological Regions of Britain. Plant Ecology. 1999. 140, 3-14.
S.C. Clifford, S.K. Arnd, J.E. Corlett, S. Joshi, N. Sankhla, M. Popp, H.G. Jones. The role of solute accumulation,
osmotic adjustment and changes in cell wall elasticity in drough tolerance in Ziziphus mauritiana (Lamk.). 1998.
Journal of Experimental Botany. Vol 49. No. 323. 967-977.
A. Repellin, A.T. Pham Thi, A. Tashakorie, Y. Sahsah, C. Daniel, Y. Zuily-Fodil. Leaf membrane lipids and
drought tolerance in young coconut palms (Cocos nucifera L.). 1997. European Journal of Agronomy. Vol 6,
Issues 1-2, Pages 25-33
G.E. Jackson, J. Irvine and J. Grace. Xylem Cavitation in two mature Scots pine forests growing in a wet and a dry
area of Britain. Plant, Cell and Environment. 1995. 18, 1411-1418. (Measurements on pine needles)
G.E. Jackson, J. Irvine and J. Grace. Xylem Cavitation in Scots pine and Sitka Spruce saplings during water stress.
1995. Tree Physiology. 15, 783-790. (Measurements on pine shoots)
G.E. Jackson, J. Irvine, J. Grace and A.M.M. Khalil. Abscisic Acid Concentrations and Fluxes in droughted
Conifer saplings. 1995. Plant, Cell and Environment. 18, 13-22. (Xylem collection)
D. Le Thiec, M. Dixon, J. Garrec. Distribution and variations of potassium and calcium in different cross sections
of Picea abies (L) Karst needles and Fagus sylvatica (L) Leaves exposed to ozone and mild water stress. 1995.
Annales des Sciences Forestieres. Vol 52 (5). 411 - 422.

USERS

UK
!Forestry Commission Research Station
!Many UK Universities
!Silsoe College, University of Cranfield
!Horticulture Research International,
East Malling Research
!Scottish Crop Research Institute
!Macaulay Land Research Institute
!Cambridge University Farm
Overseas
!Agricultural Research Institute, Cyprus
!Danish Institute of Agricultural
Science, Denmark
!Debrecen University, Hungary
!University College Dublin, Ireland
!Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

!Central Mining Research Institute,

Skye Instruments Ltd

21, Ddole Enterprise Park
Llandrindod Wells
Powys
LD1 6DF
UK
Tel: +44 (0)1597 824811

India
Fax: +44 (0)1597 824812
!CNR ISAFoM, Italy
!Universita Di Roma La Sapienza, Italy Email: skyemail@skyeinstruments.com
!Kangwon Forest Research Institute,
Web: www.skyeinstruments.com
Korea
!Research Institute of Pomology &
Floriculture, Poland
!Universite Autonoma de Madrid,
Spain
!Dpto. Biologia de Organismos y
Sistemas, Spain
!Fundacion CEAM Centro de Estudios
Ambientales del Mediterraneo,
environmental and botanical
Spain
instrumentation
!USDA-ARS, USA